“Okay Daddy, I miss you.”
“I miss you too, pumpkin, time for bed now.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Love you, baby.”
“Daddy?”
“Yes, hon?”
“What is the great news that Marissa mentioned?”
He groaned. Children had frustratingly keen hearing. “It’s nothing, sweetheart.” He said, swallowing down his panic. He didn’t want her to know more than necessary.
“Is it Mommy?” she said, and he sucked in a breath of surprise.
“Pumpkin, why are you asking me about Mommy?”
“I heard the nurses talking, saying that Mommy might be a match for me and then you disappeared and haven’t been home.”
He managed not to curse into the phone; of course his daughter was smart and would pick up on the discussions around her. He rubbed the back of his head in aggravation and sighed. “Let’s talk about all this in the morning, okay?”
He heard another yawn and the low murmur of Marissa’s voice in the background. He wished Kaitlyn good night again and promised Marissa they could talk more when he got home.
After tossing his phone onto the passenger seat, Jacob reached to start the car when he spotted Sierra leaving the hotel, still in the clothes and jacket he’d left her in. Her gait was slow, relying on the cane. He had been so preoccupied with talking to Marissa and Kaitlyn he hadn’t notice the car pull up in front of him. It was a black car with heavily tinted windows. He could not see the driver but could make out just a bit of their outline. The person was wearing a baseball cap. He scowled when Sierramade it to the car and smiled happily at the person through the window before opening the door and getting inside.
Before he could think to do anything, the car pulled away. Before it went too far, he caught sight of the license plate: Mik. He started his car, intending to follow, but he came to his senses. Where Sierra went and with whom was not his business; he needed to get home to his daughter.
But during the drive home, he couldn’t stop himself from wanting to know who Mik was.
Chapter 15
Sierra was blow drying and scrunching her curls when she heard a knock on the door. She was in a hurry to get ready and make her way to the hospital. There was still plenty of time before her appointment, but she didn’t want to take any risks in being late. Someone being at her door was unexpected and she paused and listened to see if the knocking continued. She didn’t think it was housekeeping because when she’d gotten back last night, she’d put the “do not disturb” sign on the door.
Not only did the knocking continue, it became sharper, more impatient. She turned off the dryer and worked her way to the door; inching up on her toes to look out the peephole, she saw Jacob on the other side, dressed in a brown corduroy jacket, blue shirt and jeans.
Why was he here?Panic shot through her; she turned the locks and opened the door. “Jacob, is something wrong with Kaitlyn?”
His glance took her in, though she didn’t think there was much to see. She was wearing navy cotton pants and a light pink sweater. Her blue socks matched her pants and her face was bare of makeup, except for some clear lip gloss.
He frowned, then his hand went to the back of his head in the telltale sign something was bugging him. “No, she is fine.” He lowered his hand when he realized she’d noticed.
Shaking his head, Jacob strode into the room, and while she turned sideways so he could pass, his body grazed hers. Fighting down her body’s reaction was torture. The memories of his touch flared up without hesitation, as if no time had passed. He continued into the room, not affected at all like she was.She took a breath and let the door shut from its natural weight, before she turned to stand a couple of feet in front of him.
It was her turn to frown. “Why are you here?”
“I need to talk to you about a couple of things before you head to the hospital.” He was like a brick wall, his expression closed off to her.
“Okay.” She stepped forward, curious now.
“Who is Mik?”
She was suddenly taken aback. How did he know about Mik? She blinked at him, wracking her brain for how he’d gotten this information. “Why?”
“Because I want to know about anyone you’re involved with who could potentially impact my daughter’s life.”
She stiffened from his frosty demeanor and demanding tone. At this point, she had nothing to prove to him. He’d made it clear she wasn’t allowed to see her daughter, so what did it matter who her friends were?
